Here is The Writer's Challenge:
Write 1000 words a day - that's about 4 manuscript pages - every day, come hell or high water, until your novel is written. Then get an agent. Then get it published.
This is the year you write your novel!

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Welcome to The Writer's Challenge

I'm updating weekly-ish and whenever something exciting happens, so please come back often, browse the archived information,and use the search feature to find information! Learn more about my books at ShoshannaEvers.com

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Boy do I have a story to tell - and fortunately, the solution that finally worked to get my Facebook access back after they locked my access to both my profile and Page due to my not using my "real name."

(Shoshanna Evers has been my pen name since 2009, which makes it legally my real name in 46 states just by the fact that I use it everywhere - and I have an Idaho-state DBA (doing business as) Shoshanna Evers).

Backstory:
I had a Shoshanna Evers profile from 2010 that was converted into a "Like Page" when I couldn't add more friends. For a couple years I just had that Page, and no profile attached.

Then, FB made me create a profile to attach to the Page. So I created a Shoshanna Evers profile. I hid the profile in searches so only my Like Page would come up (I don't want to have to double post in two places on FB), I didn't add any friends to it, and only used it to interact in my Street Team FB Group and during FB events like book release parties.

Separately, I have a private FB profile under my married name where I post pics of my kid, etc, for the relatives. That profile is hidden and there are no cross-over friends.

Here's what happened:
On May 21st 2015 (as I write this is the 28th, and the problem just got resolved a few hours ago), I participated in a FB party using my Shoshanna Evers profile. I've done that before. This time, I decided to message the 4 winners to make sure they knew to email me for their prizes. BAD MOVE!! That flagged FB, because I was messaging people who weren't my "friends."

So don't ever message someone who isn't a "friend" from your profile, because that will get you flagged! Good to know, right? Fortunately I have made all the mistakes this week so you don't have to! ;)

The next day when I went to log in, I got a message saying my account access has been locked until I "verify my identity."

Silly me, at first I was happy. Yay, they're going to give me a blue check mark just like Twitter did, right? NOPE. I sent them what I had sent Twitter - a pic of a contract that showed I was (legal/birth name) writing as Shoshanna Evers along with my driver's license showing I am my legal name.

Denied. So I end up going back and forth, sending a total of eleven documents (including my Idaho DBA, a royalty statement, a screen shot of my access into my own official website, a screen shot of a Tweet to FB from my Verified Twitter account, etc) all verifying that I am really Shoshanna Evers, and that it's really me running the profile and Page - unlike, for example, the Shoshanna Evers page that I *don't* run, which I also linked to.

Every step of the way, a new person contacted me to tell me no. It took me a very long time to realize that no one was actually looking at my past emails or documents - each time they denied me and said I have to verify my legal name is Shoshanna Evers.

I quoted their own help site stating that it has to be your "authentic name" - not LEGAL name - but the name you are known as in real life and online - if you've ever met me, you know I introduce myself as Shoshanna Evers. I reminded them that since October of 2014 their "legal name" policy changed to "authentic name" because they had a lot of backlash from drag queens who were forced to out themselves using their legal male names.

No one listened. No one cared. It was like encountering a steady stream of brick walls, each one entirely new and with no knowledge of all the links and pics I'd sent.

Then, some jerk at FB closed my support ticket (and I'm thinking, "hey, we're not done here!") and worst of all, changed my Shoshanna Evers profile name to my married name. I couldn't even get into my account to deactivate it! He totally doxed me and put my married, private name out to all the FB groups I am a part of. I got a screen shot and a confused email from another author asking why my name had changed, but she couldn't click it because the profile was gone. Fun, right?

Here's how I finally fixed the problem:

I reopened the case.

I recognized I would need to send them ONE image that contained:

1. a screenshot of their own help page stating what forms of ID are acceptable

2. Circled the forms of ID I was giving them (two from Option 2)

3. The forms of ID on that same image, right there, with the circled form of ID pasted above each one. (I used the free program Paint and used "Paste From" to add the pics I needed, in case you aren't sure how to make several images into one easily)

In other words, I made it impossible for anyone looking at that one image to deny me access. And I got it back. *throws confetti*

What forms of ID did I use?
An employee identification card - fortunately, as CEO of my company, I issued an immediate directive that all four employees could have ID cards on request, and I requested one. Ta da!

The other was membership in a professional organization - RWA. I am attaching the image I sent them so you can see what finally worked. And since I doubt I am the first or last author this is going to happen to, I am blogging about this as well. When I was searching online to find out how to fix the problem, all I found were people who were flagged for using their actual legal names because their legal names sounded "fake" to someone at Facebook. *rolls eyes*

Hope that helps you - oh, and another form of ID you can get now in case you have a problem in the future is to save mail sent to your pen name and take a pic of it.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Complication Cards - PART THREE: THE SCENE
Read Part One, and Part Two.
Guest Post by author Ines Johnson

You’ve discovered your character’s need, and potential their
want, which is a false goal. You’ve learned about the four types of obstacles
that can obstruct your character on the way to achieving their goals and
filling their need. Now, to build a heart-pounding story where you send your
character through the toughest obstacle course you can imagine, you should map
out a blueprint for the course.

4 Elements of a Story

1. HERO/HEROINE

Primary character looking to fill the void in their life.

2. WANT

A false goal that the hero/heroine initially believes is their
path to wholeness.

3. OBSTACLE

One of the four obstacles opposing the hero/heroine.

4. NEED

The true goal of the hero/heroine which will satisfy their
void.

OBSTACLE COURSE CARD

EXAMPLES

Antagonist example

In the Cinderella adaptation Ever After, Danielle (heroine) works tirelessly to gain acceptance
(want) from her stepmother (antagonist) until she realizes her family of
friends, including the Prince, love her unconditionally (need).

Physical example

In The Little Mermaid
adaptation Splash, yes I went there!,
Madison (heroine) leaves the sea to be with Allen (want) but when her legs get
wet and her fins come back (obstacle) she’s forced to tell Allen the truth of
her existence in the hopes that he’ll come and spend forever with her under the
sea (need).

Inner/Psychological
example

In the unconventional fairy tale Shrek, Princess Fiona (heroine) hopes to be rescued by a knight in
shining armor (want) who will break her curse (obstacle) until she realizes
that true love is “color” blind (need).

Mystic Forces example

In The Frog Prince, Tiana
(heroine) dreams of opening a restaurant (want) but her dream takes a slight
detour when she’s turned into a frog (obstacle) along with Prince Naveen and
learns to seek and take help from others (need).

Exercise

Now its your turn. Fill out your own obstacle card for you
story. If you want to take it a step farther, fill out a card for each scene!

Trained as a Pleasure Hound and now surviving by selling his body to rich women, Jaspir’s heart has always remained loyal to Lady Merlyn. When Merlyn’s fiance, Liam, approaches Jaspir for help in ensuring her happiness in the bedroom, Jaspir agrees to train Liam in the pleasure arts. What starts as rivals in an uneasy truce, soon turns carnal when Merlyn learns of their secret lessons and iis torn between the attentions of two men who would do anything to rule her heart.

About Ines Johnson:

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!

Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.

Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Last week Yesterday we learned that characters have holes that only
‘needs’ can fill. Before a character can see their need, they have to yearn
after a want, which takes them on a bumpy ride to nowhere.

This obstacle course consists of four physical and/or internal
complications that force the hero or heroine to make decisions that produce
dramatic action.

The four kinds of obstacles are:

The Antagonist (Bad Guy)

A specific antagonist lends clarity and power to the dramatic
structure because his primary function is to oppose the protagonist. He doesn’t
necessarily have to be evil, but he should personify the protagonist’s
obstacles.

Example: Cinderella’s
Wicked Step Mother

Physical Obstructions

Physical obstructions are just what they seem –material
barriers standing in the way of the protagonist. These can be rivers, deserts,
mountains, a dead-end street, or a car causing a crash –anything that presents
a substantial obstacle for the protagonist.

Example: Arielle’s fin

Inner/Psychological
Problems

Inner obstacles are intellectual, emotional, or psychological
problems the protagonist must overcome before being able to achieve his goal.
For example, dealing with fear, pride, jealousy, or the need to mature fall
into this category.

Example: Fiona’s (from
Shrek) appearance

Mystic Forces

Mystic forces enter most stories as accidents or chance but
they can be expressed as moral choices or ethical codes, which present
obstacles. They can also be personified as gods or supernatural forces, which
the characters have to content with.

Trained as a Pleasure Hound and now surviving by selling his body to rich women, Jaspir’s heart has always remained loyal to Lady Merlyn. When Merlyn’s fiance, Liam, approaches Jaspir for help in ensuring her happiness in the bedroom, Jaspir agrees to train Liam in the pleasure arts. What starts as rivals in an uneasy truce, soon turns carnal when Merlyn learns of their secret lessons and iis torn between the attentions of two men who would do anything to rule her heart.

About Ines Johnson:

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!

Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.

Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Complication Cards

Guest post by author Ines Johnson

PART ONE: THE "HOLE" CHARACTER

All characters have holes (notice it rhymes with goal). You
open the first chapter and find a human being who believes they are lacking
something crucial in their lives. Perhaps it’s the dream job, or the right
social circle, or their mother’s approval, or maybe its love.

Rarely do you enter the world of a character who finds
themselves whole. A part is usually missing. For the next tens of thousands of
words you will embark upon a journey with that character to fill that void.

Characters fill these holes in one of two ways; with either a
want or need.

Remember when you were young and you wanted the fancy pair of
jeans? Think Brenda in 90210. Fresh
from the Midwest, thrown into the dangerous waters of the Beverly Hills elite,
and her working class parents couldn’t afford the patchwork, ripped jeans that
cost the same as a car payment. But Brenda wanted those holey jeans so that she
could fit in with Kelly and Donna. In Carol’s, her mother’s eyes, there was a needfora new pair of pants for
Brenda to wear to school and that’s what Brenda got. Now if we watched that
20-year old episode we know what Brenda did to those new pair of jeans and she
made holes in her jeans to fill her social void.

You might want a pair of Louis Vuitton, but in the end you need
a pair of functioning heels to go with that cute dress.

A want is a false goal, a red herring that throws both
the reader and the character off the true course that will fill the character’s
hole. It takes some time and some bumps in the road before the character
realizes their want is not likely what they need. The need perfectly
fills the void the character has been experiencing.

Exercise

Take a look at your main character(s). What is it that they
need in order to be whole again? Now consider if it would serve your story for
your character to have a false goal that keeps them from seeing their true need
for a good portion of the story?

Next week Tomorrow(!), you’ll learn the four types of obstacles that a
character might face during their course of their quest for their ‘need.’

Trained as a Pleasure Hound and now surviving by selling his body to rich women, Jaspir’s heart has always remained loyal to Lady Merlyn. When Merlyn’s fiance, Liam, approaches Jaspir for help in ensuring her happiness in the bedroom, Jaspir agrees to train Liam in the pleasure arts. What starts as rivals in an uneasy truce, soon turns carnal when Merlyn learns of their secret lessons and iis torn between the attentions of two men who would do anything to rule her heart.

About Ines Johnson:

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!

Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.

Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

Twitter!

About Me

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Shoshanna Evers has written dozens of sexy stories, including The Man Who Holds the Whip (part of the bestselling MAKE ME anthology), Overheated, The Enslaved Trilogy, and The Pulse Trilogy (from Simon & Schuster Pocket Star).
Her work has been featured in Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and Best Bondage Erotica 2013, the Penguin/Berkley Heat anthology Agony/Ecstasy, and numerous erotic BDSM novellas including Chastity Belt and Punishing the Art Thief from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
The non-fiction anthology Shoshanna Evers edited and contributed to, How To Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors, is a #1 Bestseller in the Authorship, Erotica Writing Reference, and Romance Writing categories.
Shoshanna is also the cofounder of SelfPubBookCovers.com, the largest selection of one-of-a-kind, premade book covers in the world.
Shoshanna is a New York native who now lives with her family and two big dogs in Northern Idaho. She welcomes emails from readers and writers, and loves to interact on Twitter and Facebook.
Sexily *Evers* After…